Vending-machine.



A. MBRCKBNS. VBNDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11111330, 1908. v

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3^ wnwvww. E. n \& ud? N .www i.. n@ C. .3.. E. E.. .nung M. Q@ awww. N 1G.

A. MERCKENS.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUN; 3u, 190s.

.mw M w n 7mm i. ...am m n., .w w 9 .9 5. .n

AUGUST MERGKENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

vENDING-MACBINE. I

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application tiled June so, 190s.' serial No. 441,125. y

To. all whom it' may concern: p ,c

Be it known that l, AUGUST MEncKENs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, countyl of Kings', city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in -Vending-Machilies, of which thefollowin'gis aspecification.

My presentinvention relates toa vending machine 'for dispensing pacl'ragesfof gum, chocolate and similar merchandise-and particularly to the coin operated mechanism for effecting the delivery of the merchandise to be sold. y The principal object of my invention is the provision of a delayed but quick and positive return movement ofthe coin carriage of the apparatus in the class of=vending ina-,-

l chines te which thisinvention relates, and a further object of my invention is the provision of a yieldingcoin rest withinthe slot in the com carnage, whereby a coin of predeter` mined denomination is arrested and yielding] held in the desired position, so that by the ordinary push rcd and through theN intervention of the coin, the mechanism may beoperated, and whereby further, any device other than the coin of pred-etermiiie-dl .denomination and Which will not operateithe machine,

may be forced pastthis yielding rest or support and passed to the delivery chute by meansfcf insertinga coin of the predetermined denomination into .the machine.

' In carrying out my invention, I preferably e'niployl a casing, a receptacle for the packages of merchandise 'to'be' vended, the coin carriage having 'al coinslot therein, meansl for' yieldingly supporting a coin of predetermined denomination Within the said slot in the carriage, a 4push rod for actuating the coin carriage through the intervention of the coln to ydeliver the packages lof merchandise Vone at a time, means fer returnin .and maintaining the push rod 1n an'initla or normal position, means for arresting the carriage 1n` its return movement, means aotuated by the push' rod in' its return movement toA release,

the coin carriage and means for returning the coin carriage to its'initial or ,normall position,-all.of which Will be hereinafter more particularly described.

ln the drawing, Figure 1 isfafrontelevation of a vending machine illustrating I of Ithe support plate 17.

present invention. lFig. 2 is a central vertical section ot the same on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a plan and partial section of the operating mechanism, showing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan and vpartial section showing the paris immediately after a lpackage has been ejected. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on line w, af, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on line y, y, Fig. 3. Fig.A 7 is a sectional plan showing the relation of the operating parts when the coin is permitted to drop into the receptacle provided therefor. Fig. 8 is a partial plan of a modiiied coin carriage, and Fig.- 9 is a section on line par, FigS.

y Referring particularly to the drawing, the vending machine comprising my presen-t 1nvention includes a casing 10 which is of the rusual' construction v and as iscustomary, is

provided with the package receptacle 11 secured in any suitable manuel-'adjacent to the front of the casing, in which is a slot covered by a glass12 in order that the contents of the package -receptaclelmay be seen, and as is also customary', the package receptacle'l 1 vat its lower end at the rear, is rovided with an opening 13 through which t e packages, lone at a time, may beejected, and at the base of the package rece tacleandr on the opposite sides thereof, are edges 14 which support the superimposed pile of packages 15 w to be vended. A cross lbar 16 extends across the casing 'and is suitably secured therein, and`17 designates a support. late provided with a flange 18 at right ang es thereto. and by means of which'the support plate 17 is secured in-po'sitio'n by screws 19 or otherwise;

the support plate 17 is provided with side frame Whose end members are designated lby i -26 and 27 respectively,-the said frame fitting Within and extending between the sides21 22 A' coin carriage 28 is also located Within and extends between lthe sides 21, 22,l of-,t-he support plate 17 and this coin carriage 28 is provided with an ejector member 29, so placed as to be in the same plane with the bottom package 15 in ich are the package receptacle` 11. 4Centrally the' coin carriage 28 is .provided with a slot 30 and extending transversely on opposite sides of the coin'slot 3() are apertures 31, 32, respectively, and the support plate at the angle betweenI the same and the sides thereohis provided with rails 33- upon which the vcom carriage is adapted to travel. t

One end of the coin carriage 28 is provided with a recess 34 and within this recess I ein# ploy a pin 35 projecting through the body of thewcoin carriage into the coin slot thereof and Within the recess 34 the pin 35 is provided with a cellar 36 anda helical or other' spring 37 bearing at one end against the eollar and at theot-her end against a plug 38 fill ing the end @flle .reeelSS L nd forminga pon tion of the end 'of the carriage, so that normallyihis pin 35 which forms a yielding support for the coin when inserted into the niachine, is maintained in the position shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7 of the drawing. I may,

coin carriage 28 and extends into the coin slot'3() of the carriage and; adjacent to its in.

ner end the guide rail 39 is provided with a recess 61. l also employ a push rod 42 which extends through the front of the casing,

through apertures provided thereforl in the ends 26, 27, of the frame secured tothe support plateand thefpusli igod42g is `normally maintained in position by means 'of the spring V43 extending between thefrarn'e end 26 and a suitable collar 62Isecure`d inthe push rod. I also einployrods indicated at.44, each ol' which at one end vis secured in the coin carriage 28 and extends through the end members 26, 27 of the frame member secured to the support plate and surrounding each of v the said rods 44 is a helical spring 45 extendingietween the end 26 of the said frame point,v the rocker -rame is Beneath the support plate 17'is a bracket indicated at 47 and at either end this bracket 47 is provided with a depending arm 48.

` 49 represents a gravity rocker frame which 17, and the outer orfree 'end of t e arm 54 passes through a slot 55-in the bar `56 secured in and depending from the push rod 42.

With a pair of latches 'apparatus is designed, is inserted through the coin chute 60 and passes to the slot Si) provided therefor in the coin carriage 2S. Witlnn this slot, 30 the coin'is arrested by coming into contact both with the guide rail V39 and the protruding end ol" the pin 35,

whereupon by pushing the. rod 42 inwardly, the innerucnd thereof passes through the aperture 32 and' contacts with thesurlaee of the coin7 and as will be appuient, by theI further inward movement of the push rod 42, the coin carriage by means thereof and through the intervention of the coin, is also moved inwardly and the' ejector' member thereof by ,coming into contact with the edge, of the lowermost package in the package receptacle, will have ejected the package when the push rod has' reached the end, of its inward movement, the package falling down the chute 57 where it may be reached at the delivery opening 5S by the person-operating the machine. Upon the push rod 42 lincolning released, it immediately returns to its initial or normal position by means of the spring 43 and momentarily at the beginning of the return movement of the push rod, the coin carriage travels with the same, being` moved by the springs 45. This initial movement of the coin carriage. however is slight, because the sides of the carriage abut against the latches 5l over which the carriage has ridden during its inward travel and 1s there Land also with the slot 61 in the guide rail '39,

whereby the coin is permitted to drop into thc-coin receptacle or drawer 59, the push rod 42 in it's return movement carrying as it does, the bar 56, raises the outer end of the gravity frame 49 by means of the lifting ol' the arm 54, whereby the latches 5l are depressed sufficiently to release the coin earriage and permit it to return swiftly and positively to its normal or initial position under the action of. the springs 45. As will also be apparent, in ease a spurious coin or washer or similar device is placed in the machine andwhich by the push red passing through the opening therein or for other reasons will not'operate the n1a'chine,-that upon inserting a; coin of the predetermined denomination, the spurious eoin, washer or other device lmay be forced past the yielding support or pin 35 and passed by way of the lll() t slct24 to the chute andfiopeninlglwhere the `soever.

packages are delivened/the slot 24 registering with the coin slot 38 Whegithe coin carriage is in its normal position.I v

I may also employ a Weight indicated at 64 adapted to iit within the ackage receptacle resting upon the top o the 'superimposed pile of packages to insure the proper escent of the same and to prevent the operation of the machine When all of tlfe ackages have been sold "and delivered, this atter function being performed by the'end of the ejector member contacting with the ,weight and as will be manifest, preventing anything b'ut a very slightfmoveme'nt' of the coin carnage. v

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, I'may also rovide the coin carriage wi-th'a guard p ate indicated at 65 extending in the opposite direction to the ejectormember, land on the other side of the coin slot and preferably at about the same elevation as saidfcjector member, `this guardis of such an extent as to cover [the slot 30 when thel coin carriage has reached the innermost point of its travel?" the object of the saidguardplate being to prevent the insertion o .a coin in the apparatus, if for any reason the coin 'carriage' should becomewedged or inoperative in any but its -initial position from any 'cause what- As Will also be seen from the drawing, access is obtained tothe cash drawer or receptacle from the side ol' the apparatus and furthermore any coin but that of the predetermined denomination, Whether one which will not be retained in the coin' slot in the car; riage or one which will be so retained but will not operate the apparatus, will passby Way of the slot 60 to the chute and place at which the packages sold are obtainable `and Will thus be returned to the party operating the machine, or attempting so todo.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vending machine, a casing, a package receptacle, a push-rod, a support platehaving slots therein, a coin carriage adaptedl to slide on' the said support plate and having a slot therein andadapted through the inter;- vention'of a coin of predetermined denomination to be .actuated by the push-rod to eject al package to be vended, means for yieldingly supporting '-'a coin in said slot,

means for returning the push-rod and normally maintaining the same in its initial position, a` gravity rocker frame pivotally mounted beneath the said support` plate, means carried by the said gravity rocker frame and 4adapted to pass through said slots in the said supportplate to Lengage'a'nd arrest the coin carria e in its return'movement after having trave ed to` the extreme of its return movement of the push-rod for actuating the. said rocker frame tol remove the means carried thereby from the coin carriage, and means operative upon the release of the coin carriage for returning and maintaining the same in its initial position.

2. in a vending machinea casing, a package, receptacle, a push-rod, a support plate having slots therein, a coin carriage adapted to slide on the said support plate and having a slot therein andy adapted throug the vintervention of a coin of redete mine denomination to be actuated )y the ushod to eject a package to be vended, me! ns 'for yieldingly supporting a coin i said slot, means for re-r turning the pus'h-ro/A and normally maintaintraveled to the extreme of its' forward moveietj;'means actuated by the push-rod in its f return movement for releasing the said latches from their engagement with the coin mally maintaining; the coincarriage in its initial position. p f

Q' 3. In a vending machinf'thal casing, a package receptacle, a push rod, av coin carriage havingasl't therein' and. adapted" through theA intervention of acoin of predetermined denominationlo be actuated by the push rodto eject the ac kage to be vended, means for returnihg 'dit maintaining the same in its initial position, a

pivotally 'mountedA Ygravity rocker frame,

e push rod and normallyl lcarriage and means for returning and norcured in the said gravity rocker frame With j its free end passing through the said slot in the bar securedin thepushrod, andl means l for returning the coinf4 carriage to its initial position.l

'4. ln a vending machine, a' casing, a package receptacle, a push'rod', acoin carriage having a coin slot therein anda recess in one end thereof and adapted through the intervention of acoin of predetermined denomination to be actuated by', the push rod to eject the package to be vended, a pin Within the said recess passing through an aperture provided thereforin the end of the said slot Cin the coin carriage, aA spring for normally maintaining the said `pinl'in position, a plug closing the said recess, means for returning the push rod and normally maintaining the same in its initial position, a pivotally n lounted gravity rocker frame, laitehes carin the push rod and means for returning the ried by the said gravity frame adapted to encoin carriage to its initial position. 10 gai-ge and arrest the ooin carriage in its return l Signed by me this 11th dey of' June 1908.

movement, a bar secured in and depending w w w from the push rod and having a slot therein, AUGUS'I MLRLKFN im arm carried by and secured in the said Witnesses:

gravity rocker frame with its free end pass- WILLIAM R. PHELAN, ing through the said slot in the bar secured J AMES D. MCCLELLAND. 

